Monday, September 12, 2016

PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY


So, my sister has been spending time cleaning out some of my mom's drawers.

It's rather amazing what she's accumulated in her 83+ years – and also amazing what she's been able to stuff into drawers!!

Once in a while, my sister comes across a real treasure.

A forgotten piece of jewelry.

A childhood token.

Money.

But the best treasure of all?

Old photographs!

Photos of my mother as a child, me and my siblings as children, and our kids in their childhood.

Precious memories.


As I was looking through some photos that my sister put aside for me, I got to thinking.

Isn't it strange how we can't remember anything from our early years?  Those memories don't belong to us, but rather to our parents and the people who loved us.

Here's an example…

I remember several years ago taking a day trip with my parents.

I drove us to a beach town where my dad had grown up for a portion of his boyhood.  He had so many fond memories there.

We drove around to houses he stayed in, and he told us story after story about people that had lived in the neighborhood – including the man who would shine a huge spotlight into the surf so they could swim until ten o'clock at night!

The general store was still there, and relatively unchanged in 70+ years – the place where he used to buy his candy.

It was a precious time watching his face light up with memories of such good times.

On our way back home, my parents asked me if we could take a quick side trip to the place where they brought me home from the hospital.

Well, sure!

We found it, and just as we were parking our car at the curb, the current tenants drove into the driveway.

Mom and I decided we were going to ask them if we could poke our heads inside.

Dad was mortified, and tried (in vain) to get us to change our minds.

(We left him in the car…ahem!)

So, we walked up the small driveway and approached the people as they were getting out of their car.

They looked at us askance, clearly not wanting to be bothered.

But we persisted.

As I told them why we were there, they smiled and invited us in.

Linked arm in arm, my mother and I entered the little house where I spent my first days of life.

Mom sighed, "It hasn't changed at all."

Then she started pointing things out to me…

"That's the window where we'd put your cradle in the afternoon."

"Here's the kitchen where I washed and prepared your bottles."

"See the sidewalk across the street?  That's where I would walk you in the stroller."


You know, it was a special moment, but kinda eerie.

It was weird to think that I'd actually been in this place, but had absolutely no recollection of it.

And yet, when I looked into the face of my mother, awash with the glow of HER memories of that time with me, I understood something.

Those first few years of our lives do indeed belong to someone else.

Just as the memories I have of my sons in the very beginnings of their lives will always be held in my heart instead of their minds.

I don't know, I thought it was kinda special.

We profusely thanked the people as we walked out.

But then I turned to my mom and said:

"Mom, isn't this the place where Dad backed into the carport on his first day back at work after I was born?"

She grinned.

"Yes, it is."

I grinned.

We wandered down the driveway, and I got to see the infamous carport that has played such a starring role in one of my favorite stories about me being born.

I love that my father, Mr. Have-It-All-Together, was actually kinda thrown by my arrival!!

Good times.

My earliest memory is when I was about 3 years old.

It’s kinda sketchy, but I've verified it with my mom, and I do have the basic details accurate.  My real memories start at about age 4 or 5 – highlights that must have stuck with me because of their meaning.

It's been fun looking at the photos – and sometimes they spur those early memories.

Photographic memory.

Yes.


As I was lying down to sleep last night, I was thinking about those photos, the memories they represent, and the accumulation of moments that a person's life actually is.

Some of it (much of it) is lost to me now.

My memory is pretty good, but even so, it can't contain everything.

But God can – and He does.

I was stilled by that thought.

My entire life – every moment is firmly implanted in the forefront of His omniscient mind.

He knew all of it before I was born, before the creation of the world.

And He never, ever forgets a thing – never forgets me.

How comforting that thought is to me!

There have been times when I'm watching TV, or attending a huge sporting event, or spending the day at an amusement park – any time I see a crowd of people – and I am overwhelmed by the thought that God knows about every single person's entire life.

Every moment of their history.

All the things that have happened to them.

All the hurts, the joys, the laughter and the tears – their every thought and every feeling.

And He loves each of them.

Just like He loves each of us – as if we were the only person in the whole world.

His love is universal, but also incredibly singular and individually-focused.

I'll never understand it fully.

But I do know this…

He knows me better than I know myself, for He remembers.

The good, the bad, the ugly – my moments are His memories.


I love that the One who created me is the same One who carries me.

From birth to death to eternity – always in His arms.

Never out of His thoughts, ever close to His heart.


And that brings me a comfort and peace that I must always remember…



What's your earliest memory?







Me - First Grade

And yes, I remember this dress!
I loved it!! 




"'I am the LORD, and I do not change.'" (Malachi 3:6, NLT)

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." (James 1:17, ESV)

"…you are always the same; you will live forever." (Psalm 102:27, NLT)

"Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is [always] the same, yesterday, today, [yes] and forever (to the ages)." (Hebrews 13:8, AMP)

"The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." 
(Lamentations 3:22-23, ESV)

"'I am the Alpha and the Omega – the beginning and the end,' says the Lord God. 'I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come – the Almighty One.'" (Revelation 1:8, NLT)

"…the one who watches over you will not slumber.  Indeed, he…never slumbers or sleeps.  The LORD himself watches over you!…The LORD keeps you from all harm and watches over your life.  The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever." (From Psalm 121:3-5, 7-8, NLT)

"You saw me before I was born.  Every day of my life was recorded in your book.  Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.  How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.  They cannot be numbered!  I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand!" 
(Psalm 139:16-18, NLT)

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you…" (Jeremiah 1:5, NASB)

"But whoever loves God is known by God." (1 Corinthians 8:3, NIV)

"The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." 
(Deuteronomy 31:8, NIV)

"'Can a mother forget [her] baby…and have no compassion on the child she has borne?  Though she may forget, I will not forget you!'" (Isaiah 49:15, NIV)

"'I will be your God throughout your lifetime – until your hair is white with age.  I made you, and I will care for you.  I will carry you along and save you.'" (Isaiah 46:4, NLT)

"'…Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'" (Hebrews 13:5, NIV)



Linked with:

SMALL WONDER, MONDAY'S MUSINGS, MONDAYS AT SOUL SURVIVAL, LIFE GIVING LINKUP, GOOD MORNING MONDAYS, THANK GOODNESS IT'S MONDAY, THE ART OF HOMEMAKING MONDAYS, MAKING YOUR HOME SING MONDAY, MODEST MONDAY, INSPIRE ME MONDAY, LIVING PROVERBS, MOM-TO-MOM MONDAYS, MOMENTS OF HOPE, GLIMPSES LINKUP, TELL ME A TRUE STORY, TITUS 2 TUESDAY, UNITE LINKUP, WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY, TESTIMONY TUESDAY, TUESDAY TALK, RA RA LINKUP, TEACHING WHAT IS GOOD, INTENTIONAL TUESDAY, WISE WOMAN, TELL HIS STORY, CHRISTIAN BLOGGER COMMUNITY, WORD FILLED WEDNESDAY, THREE WORD WEDNESDAY, COFFEE FOR YOUR HEART, COFFEE & CONVERSATION, WOMEN WITH INTENTION, SITTING AMONG FRIENDS, FROM MESSES TO MESSAGES, LOFT LINKUP, GRACE MOMENTS, THANKFUL THURSDAYS, LIVE FREE THURSDAY, THURSDAY FAVORITE THINGS, SHINE BLOG HOP, THOUGHT-PROVOKING THURSDAY, FROM HOUSE TO HOME, GRACE AT HOME, THOUGHTFUL THURSDAYS, LITTLE THINGS THURSDAY, COZY READING SPOT, NO RULES WEEKEND BLOG PARTY, 100 HAPPY DAYS, FUNTASTIC FRIDAY, FRIENDSHIP FRIDAY, EVERYDAY TESTIMONY, FAITH FILLED FRIDAY, SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS, FAITH 'N FRIENDS, GRACE & TRUTH, DANCE WITH JESUS, FRIDAY FEATURE PARTY, MAKE MY SATURDAY SWEET, TGI SATURDAYS, WORD OF GOD SPEAK, WEEKEND WIND DOWN PARTY, SMALL VICTORIES SUNDAY, GIVE ME GRACE



BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

31 comments:

  1. Great memories Sharon - it sounds like you had a great mom and dad who gave you those great memories. And the best, He is there all the time....from our beginnings to the end. Wishing you a great week.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That is so true about our early lives belonging to someone else. I hadn't thought of that before you wrote about it here. I'm glad you and your mom went into that house you had grown up in. Often people say they are going to do things like that but then never get around to it.

    I think my earliest memory would be I remember sitting on our front step sharing a bowl of potato chips with another girl, not sure if she was a friend or cousin. Must have been a party because I know there was a lot of activity around. I probably was about 4/5.

    betty

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi, I'm visiting from The Art of Home-Making Monday.

    What a cute photo of you!

    I am passionate about the need to record our childhood memories and our parents' childhood memories, for if we don't write things down, those memories will soon be lost forever. Except, as you stated, God will always remember every single detail. But it is up to each one of us to record our history, so that future generations will have knowledge of us.

    My earliest memory is from about 4-years old. For some reason, my brother (then 3) and I had pushed a little girl off her bicycle. I don't remember if it was an accident, or if we didn't like her and did it on purpose. What I do remember is that our parents took us over to that girl's house and made us apologize.

    Blessings,
    Patti @ Joy in the Middle

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh Sharon...love your sweet photo!!! ... and such precious memories.

    My earliest memories are around 4 yrs.old too but I think I recall a few earlier ones too just not sure of my age but like you and "photo graphic memory" I see images and recall my surroundings and know that I only lived in that house of that image before 4... however it may be influenced by photos I recall and stories my dad told and told over and over(usually about his own life and WWII).

    What a beautiful spiritual connection and delight walking down this memory lane with you and your dear mom and comments.

    {I do wish my first grade photo was as cute. My mom always cut my bangs so short for class photos and I'm pretty sure I lost my portfolio of all my school years and report cards, etc. in that total loss fire at least I don't recall seeing that ... I even had a letter in it (4th grade) from Jacqueline Kennedy for the JFK Memorial Library and our neighborhood donation I sent in that we raised, thanking us and I think it said our names would be added to the donor list wall. That's a treasure I did not like losing (sigh) and quite a few more. Anyways, I'm kinda doing that on another scale right now as I prepare to head north soon. Keep me in your prayers please. Safety, health, etc. cover me completely because the enemy is working over time with all kinds of upheavals.

    I so enjoyed this and it's another keeper! "Thanks for the memory!" ... until we meet again ... "happy trails to you" ~Peggy

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Sharon! I love old memories and old places...what fun to revisit the places that meant so much to your family.
    My siblings have been through our old house at different times, but I never had the chance. I'd love it, but then again, maybe it would be so different? I'm so glad that your mom felt that nothing had changed.
    My earliest memory is of me crying because my parents were going away on vacation. I was probably 4 years old or so, and my dad came and hugged me and talked to me. A precious remembrance for sure!
    Blessings,
    Ceil

    ReplyDelete
  6. I don't remember too much before first grade! Your message reminds me of a teaching my husband does when He explains our Jewish roots and what we refer to as the Last Supper when Jesus had the meal with his disciples. They didn't have photos but Jesus wanted them and us always to remember Him so He used the bread and wine to refer to Himself: blessed, broken and given.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh, dear friend! I cried when I read how you and your dear mother walked through that place, so precious to her. I can just imagine how she felt telling you those things and reliving such a special time in her younger life. Life marches on. It waits for none of us, and I am so thankful we do have pictures to remind us. I love the picture of you...just precious. Sending you much love and many hugs as you walk this path with your mother. Praying for you!

    ReplyDelete
  8. One night we were sitting watching TV when a young lady knocked on our door. She said she was a granddaughter to the folks who used to live there and was wondering if she could see it one more time. "Sure" but I also warned her things had changed. We had made huge changes to the inside. She agreed but there were still some things she saw and had fond memories. I have some memories of my childhood, of living in a certain place in the projects, of having measles twice, but like you said they only go back so far. Memories are good things to have...good memories.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Sharon, I love this post! Even the title, photographic memory, it is true that most of our memories come from photographs...and I love your reminder that God knows each of us so intimately, He knit us together in our mother's womb, and has seen every day before one of them came to be, seeing the end from the beginning...Sovereign Holy God, nothing comes into our lives that is not filtered through His hands of love...we can trust Him. Many blessings to you!

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a wonderful post. It is amazing how our Father takes us into this world and calls us to Him. And takes us back to us in His arms for eternity. Know wonder He's heartbroken by the ones that don't come to Him.

    Always in his arms…

    And what a great picture!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I'm so glad that God's love is not just universal, but singular and individual. Thanks for the stories and this great reminder!

    ReplyDelete
  12. This was a fun post to read, and I especially appreciated your reminder, "And He never, ever forgets a thing – never forgets me."

    Like you, when I'm in a big crowd, it amazes me to realize God knows everything about each and every one of them. I can't even know what each of my 3 kids are thinking ... how mind-blowing He knows each and every person intimately.

    ReplyDelete
  13. For He remembers...what a great collection of treasured memories and the Fathers love. Glad to be your neighbor at Coffee for Your Heart.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi from your neighbor at Thought Provoking Thursday. I so enjoyed reading your post. Such precious memories. Sometimes I take a mental trip back into my childhood home and remember each special place in that home that brought love to my heart. Tears and smiles always follow. My Opah, there, is the one who taught me about Jesus. I am so thankful for him and how He introduced me to my Heavenly Father's love. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful memories.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I have lots of old photos - love them and the memories they bring

    ReplyDelete
  16. Oh, I love this post, Sharon. It's such fun to discover pictures that we have never seen or at least not in a long time. I love your first grade photo. I often remember my clothes from those days too. ;) It's wonderful that you got to take a walk down memory lane in real time too!

    ReplyDelete
  17. What an inspirational post. - One of my earliest memories was when I was around 5 years old. I had been sent back to the house to get something and one of the cows was standing right by the back door. I wouldn't go inside because I was afraid of the cow. - That's always stuck with me for some reason.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Wow that sounds like an amazing time with your parents Sharon. Such a blessing to still have those memories. My first memory was at the age of 3. I remember it because it was traumatic as I got hit in the head with a rock playing in the sandbox. I remember the concern and love of my mother as she rushed me to the hospital.
    I am thankful for our Savior who knows us inside and out . He never forgets or is surprised by anything. We should take comfort in that every day. Thank you for sharing these beautiful memories and reminding us of the omniscient God we serve. Have a wonderful weekend and may God bless you and yours in all your endeavors!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I loved your post! Among my memories, my earliest is from when I was about age 2. Visiting from No Rules Weekend Blog Party #200.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Sharon, what a fun post. I loved the trip you and your parents took down Memory Lane, and how wonderful that you were bold enough to ask the current owners if they would allow you to 'visit' once again with your childhood home. the home where I grew up is only about 2 miles away from where I currently live, and every time I pass I want to stop and ask if I can come in. I have never done it...yet. I just might, though. Thanks for linking with us at The Loft.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Sharon--you were a doll! In fact, you still are! I cherish my first grade picture, too. And I certainly remember my jumper uniform. Wore it for years in parochial school. LOL

    But, I have to admit, I do have some very early memories. Just snippets of images and mostly tied to a moment of trauma--falling out of my crib and my father picking me up, crying; my grandmother changing me with far too much stinging soapy water you-know-where; I see those images from the perspective of a room spinning as I'm swooped up in a panic, and looking up at grandma with that soapy cloth as I'm flat on the bathroom counter. Crazy stuff. I, too, when in crowds, become overwhelmed with the sense that a crowd is not just a mass--it is individual souls, each precious to God. How great He is to manage all our issues and love us through them all. Great post--nostalgic story about your first house--loved it.
    Joy!
    Kathy

    ReplyDelete
  22. You are a cutie pie! I love old photos. They always hint at such a story.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I remember my dad walking me to school....he passed away when I was 12. This post brought back so many memories.

    ReplyDelete
  24. What a darling photo of you in first grade. My first grade photo, I had NO front teeth, but a big smile. My earliest memory, I had just turned 3 in May, and my sister was born the next month. I wanted to see my mother, but my aunt would not let me. I was determined, and finally she allowed a short visit. My mom said, you are a good girl, now please obey your aunt Edna. I replied okay I will. I am glad you and your mom and dad could go down memory lane for them. You are so right, that some memories are only in the hearts of the parents because the children were too young to remember. I love you getting permission to see the old place where you spent some time as a young child. Thank you for stirring memories in us too from your story shared here with us at Tell me a True Story.

    ReplyDelete
  25. What a wonderful experience with your Mom! I love moments like those! Such a gift!
    Blessings and smiles,
    Lori

    ReplyDelete
  26. I had a lady stop at our moving sale asking if she could peek inside the house. She was the first owner and my house was a disaster with all the boxes. I was hesitant about letting her in but when she told me about bringing here children there when they were born, I just had too. Thank you for sharing this moment with Thankful Thursdays.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Beautifully written! My first memory is of the day JFK died. I was only 19 months old, but I was watching Romper Room, and the next thing I know my mother was crying, and I knew something very bad had happened. After that, my first memory is the birth of my younger brother when I was not quite 3.

    ReplyDelete
  28. I absolutely love this! You're so cute! I have very early childhood memories too. My first dog. Looking into the fish tank. Having a bath. All around 2-4 years old. I love how you brought it home for me that the early years are for our parents memories when we don't remember much. And how God remembers every single day of every single person on earth. So astonishing!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Wonderful memories and look at how adorable you are! Love it!

    Thanks for sharing (and for linking up to the #SHINEbloghop).

    Wishing you a lovely evening.
    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  30. So true, those early memories do belong to our parents. Beautiful post and God does know every detail, always has!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Thanks for sharing with us at Funtastic Friday.

    ReplyDelete

"So [I] have been greatly encouraged in the midst of [my] troubles and suffering, dear brothers and sisters, because you have remained strong in your faith. It gives [me] new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord. How [I] thank God for you!" (1 Thessalonians 3:7-9)

Thanks for your comments - it is such a joy to be sharing my journey with friends like YOU!

(NOTE: Anonymous comments will be removed. Thank you for understanding.)